How many wedding pros use a 70-200 f4?

Plenty of the photographers I work with use the F4 or the F4IS without issue, and not because of a budget issue.

I owned and used both a F4 and a F2.8II for a while, using the F4 whenever possible due to weight.

If I were still shooting weddings, I would use the f/2.8L ISii lens...

However, I don't shoot weddings anymore but, if I were Shanghaied into shooting a relative's wedding, I would have no fear about using my 70-200mm f/4L IS. I would just be choosey about when and where I shot with that lens...

BTW: when I shot weddings, I used a Hasselblad with 80mm f/2.8 and 150mm f/4 lenses, so I guess that the 70-200mm f/4L IS would be no problem. Especially since I can shoot at higher ISO with digital than I could when shooting film..

Great replies.

I am second shooting my first wedding next month and have no choice other than using my 70-200 f4 (non is) and a 50mm 1.8.

It's an outdoor ceremony so hopefully won't rain!

Best thing to do is practice. If its outdoor and you know the time then have a go one night at the same time. Keep your shutter above your focal lenth for none IS vesion and increase your iso to manage your light.
I use my 60d on 3200 and its ok

jsvphoto wrote in post #14859884
I love my 70-200 F4, but it's too slow for indoor sports (basketball) and night sports (football), so I'm guessing it'd be too slow for indoor weddings & receptions as well. I've had much better luck with the 300 f2.8 and the 135 2.0 for my darker venues...

That being said, when I'm shooting portraiture, I tend to be around f4-f5.6 as well, even for singles. I hate having one eye in focus and one eye out of focus.

I took my 70-200 f4 IS with me to London 2012 for the Women's Volleyball final at Earl's Court and it was fine. It was attached to my 5D Mark 3 though so that might have helped

The ISO had to be in the 1000 to 1600 region for a lot of the time in order to get enough light to capture the shots I wanted at a fast enough shutter speed.

If I was shooting weddings, knowing how some venues can be quite dark and won't allow flash, I would be wanting to use the f2.8 version. Twice as much light wide open and twice as much money... it's a tricky decision.

That being said, when I finally get around to buying the f2.8 lens, I will probably keep the f4 version as well. It's too nice to let go

johnnywashngo wrote in post #14886125
I took my 70-200 f4 IS with me to London 2012 for the Women's Volleyball final at Earl's Court and it was fine. It was attached to my 5D Mark 3 though so that might have helped

The ISO had to be in the 1000 to 1600 region for a lot of the time in order to get enough light to capture the shots I wanted at a fast enough shutter speed.

If I was shooting weddings, knowing how some venues can be quite dark and won't allow flash, I would be wanting to use the f2.8 version. Twice as much light wide open and twice as much money... it's a tricky decision.

That being said, when I finally get around to buying the f2.8 lens, I will probably keep the f4 version as well. It's too nice to let go

What shutter speeds were you using? If they're high, as you might need for sports, I wonder if the f/2.8 non-IS might be better than the f/4 IS.

I really love using flash wherever and whenever possible, but for certain ceremonies I don't want to spoil the feeling with flash, even if it's allowed. In such a situation, every stop helps. The one stop advantage between f/4 and f/2.8, and the four stops of IS that let's you go down to 1/15.

Bonbridge wrote in post #14861101
I think there are lots of them. A real pro does not look at his gear but to a picture he wants to achieve.

This sounds good - but is it really true? In my experience, pros use their gear to achieve the image they want to build. This does not imply that gear makes the image, rather it allows those with talent to express it.

johnnywashngo wrote in post #14886125
I took my 70-200 f4 IS with me to London 2012 for the Women's Volleyball final at Earl's Court and it was fine. It was attached to my 5D Mark 3 though so that might have helped

The ISO had to be in the 1000 to 1600 region for a lot of the time in order to get enough light to capture the shots I wanted at a fast enough shutter speed.

If I was shooting weddings, knowing how some venues can be quite dark and won't allow flash, I would be wanting to use the f2.8 version. Twice as much light wide open and twice as much money... it's a tricky decision.

That being said, when I finally get around to buying the f2.8 lens, I will probably keep the f4 version as well. It's too nice to let go

I'm guessing the Olympic venue you attended was possibly better lit than the typical high school football field or basketball court...

I'd rather have a 135L.

RWatkins wrote in post #14886622
This sounds good - but is it really true? In my experience, pros use their gear to achieve the image they want to build. This does not imply that gear makes the image, rather it allows those with talent to express it.

Its really not such a difficult thing to decide if you think about what you going to be using the lens for?

I still have my f4IS and could use it for a wedding if it wasnt too dark. The advantage of the 2.8 is not only the extra light if needed (remember f2.8 lets in twice as much light as f4) but the image seperation when your groups are close and your trying to take natural shots.

When looking at a lot of the amature wedding shots you often see a lot of distraction in the back ground.

If you shoot f4 you will need to keep increasing the ISO to manage the light/shutter up until the noise is not acceptable to you.

Borrow one try it. The f4 IS is a gem of a lens but that said I use f2.8 and even then some events are too dark for that. I've ended up on my 50 1.4 before now.

Take the best pic you can with the equipment you have. If you don't know your camera and lenses inside out your not ready for weddings yet.

Hope this helps

Found this old thread with google.

Most say 2.8 all the way and I understand when only using the zoom.
But what if you add some primes. For example: 70-200/4 + 50 1.8 + 85 1.4 + 135 L

The prime route might be a good idea. 85 1.8 or 50 1.4

Totally depends on the body you are using. I have a 70-200 F/2.8 is and it sits until i need reach for a ceremony. and even them, Im often at F/3.5 to keep them both in focus........Im going to sell the 70-200 F/2.8 and get the F/4 when my 1Dx2 arrives. 12800 is very usable on the new body and 25000 ISO will be usable as well.......a lot lighter to carry and use in my opinion...if its real dark then I would rather use a 135L

Rarely using the 70-200 F/2.8......I have the 70-200 F/4 NON IS lens....extremely sharp,,,,but You need a shutter of 1/160 to use it with consistency.........ma​y not be a problem on the new body

This is something i don't understand. You often hear 2.8 because of the noise and dof. But i guess a lot of couples want to See both in focus and thats difficult even at f4

Richie1978 wrote in post #17978805
This is something i don't understand. You often hear 2.8 because of the noise and dof. But i guess a lot of couples want to See both in focus and thats difficult even at f4

F/3.5 will keep 2 in focus on different planes because the couples are close enough to each other. F/3.2 will also work most of the time. F/2.8 its often one or the other and that usually means the bride

F/4.0 is always going to work especially on the 70-200F/4 is.....dont forget...its one of the very sharpest lens in canons line up and IS will let you hand hond at 1/60 with that thing.......So Again....depends on the body you have. I bought my 70-200 F/2.8 when The 30D and Original 5D classic came out.....We didnt go past 1600 ISO in those days........F/2.8 was a must.....old habits die hard in this industry......I would have no problem using a 70-200F/4 IS with the new 1Dx2......Zero.....Non​e for wedding work.